HIGHLAND, Calif. -- King of the Cage returned to the San Manuel Casino on Thursday one title fight shy, after a scheduled 160-pound championship match between Joe Camacho (Pictures) and challenger Buddy Clinton (Pictures) was scratched due to injury.

In its stead, Team Oyama disciple Aaron Wetherspoon (Pictures) defended his welterweight title against the always dangerous Anthony Lapsley (Pictures). Wetherspoon had been on a six-fight win streak until he ran into Mike Pyle (Pictures) last summer at a co-promoted Strikeforce-EliteXC event in San Jose, Calif. Though Lapsley's first fight in 2008, he had an extremely busy 2006-2007 season, fighting 14 fights in 14 months for a respectable 11-3 record.

In the first round, Wetherspoon was able to land some good knees and control the clinch along the cage. For the little time that the fight did hit the mat, it was Lapsley who controlled from top position. Wetherspoon defended Lapsley's submission advances well, and neither fighter was able to inflict any considerable amount of damage.

Both fighters came out with guns blazing for the second round and literally collided heads. They dropped to their backs simultaneously to mark a bizarre conclusion that was eventually deemed a no contest. Lapsley rocked back and forth on the canvas, holding his eye that had been busted wide open, while a groggy Wetherspoon stared into space. Lapsley got up on his own accord and his corner urged him to continue, but Lapsley relented. Referee Herb Dean (Pictures) called the bout only 18 seconds into the round, signaling doctors to enter the cage and check on both fighters. A rematch is an inevitability.

The fact that seasoned muay Thai competitor William Sriyrapai (Pictures) was a longtime KOTC veteran (he submitted Kit Cope (Pictures) at their first show in 1999) did not intimidate Albuquerque native Donald Sanchez (Pictures) in their featured match-up. Sriyrapai was able to land a handful of hard leg kicks, but Sanchez excelled in the stand-up, rocking Sriyrapai at one point and stumbling him backwards to the cage.

For two rounds, Sanchez was able to get the takedown and dominate from there. Sriyrapai gave up his back multiple times and Sanchez was more than happy to take position and strike as well. Unable to sink in the rear-naked choke midway through the second round, Sanchez unleashed a barrage of punches and Sriyrapai turtled, forcing referee Cecil Peoples to step in and halt the bout at 3:40 in the second round.

A clash between the "big boys" was, at best, anti-climatic. Chance Williams (Pictures) (334 lbs) took on southern California veteran, Mike Bourke (259 lbs), who despite only having his hand raised once in the last six years, was fighting for KOTC's open-weight title.

The fight was the worst case scenario for Bourke. After getting double underhooks in, the pair toppled to the mat with WIlliams landing on top. Williams was able to strike effectively, but landed a shot to the back of Bourke's head that prompted referee Nelson Hamilton to call a foul and re-start the fighters standing. However, Bourke grabbed his head in pain and was unable to continue. Williams was disqualified, but with only 40 seconds burned off the clock, the bout was ruled a no contest.

In preliminary action, Ben Fuimaono caught a great armbar from guard against Miguel Cosio (Pictures) at 2:11 of the first round, while Tony Lopez submitted Joey Beltran (Pictures) with a brutal standing Kimura at 3:15 of round one.

Gregg Dalton and Dave Rivas (Pictures) went to war for nearly two full rounds, until Rivas caught one on the chin, handing Dalton the knockout victory at 3:41 of round two.

In the most competitive fight of the night, Georgie Karakhanyan earned the judges' nod after three hard rounds with Armando Sanchez, and Daniel Hernandez scored a TKO over Daniel Mancha at 1:10 in the first round.

King of the Cage "Opposing Force"
Thursday, May 15
San Manuel Casino
Highland, Calif.

Daniel Hernandez def. Daniel Mancha - TKO 1:10 R1
Georgie Karakhanyan def. Armando Sanchez - Unanimous Decision
Gregg Dalton def. Dave Rivas (Pictures) - KO, 3:41 R2
Tony Lopez (Tony Lopez' class='LinkSilver'>Pictures) def. Joey Beltran (Pictures) - Kimura, 3:15 R1
Ben Fuimaono def. Miguel Cosio (Pictures) - Submission (Armbar) 2:11 R1
Chance WIlliams vs. Mike Bourke - No Contest (Illegal Blow) 0:40 R1
Donald Sanchez (Pictures) def. William Sriyrapai (Pictures) - TKO 3:40 R2
Aaron Wetherspoon (Pictures) vs. Anthony Lapsley (Pictures) - No Contest (Unintentional Headbutt) 0:18 R2